Accidents happen, and sometimes your tooth is knocked out during a sporting event, fall, or altercation. While this loss of a tooth can seem daunting, knowing what to do in this situation can make a significant difference in saving your tooth and preserving your smile. But where do you begin?
At Avenues Dentistry, we understand how important it is to preserve your smile. From maintaining your beautiful smile to ensuring you can eat, drink, and speak, your teeth play an important role in your everyday life. If you want to know what to do if your tooth is knocked out, keep reading.
The Importance of a Timely Response
A timely response is essential when your tooth is knocked out, as it significantly increases the chance of successful reimplantation. The longer your tooth goes without being in the socket, the greater the risk of irreversible damage and permanent dental loss. Acting quickly will help preserve the tissue and structures attached to the tooth. Delaying treatment can also lead to complications like infection, bone loss, and the need for more extensive dental procedures. If you have lost a tooth, it is important that you schedule with your dental care team as soon as possible.
Steps to Take If Your Tooth is Knocked Out
1. Stay Calm
While we understand how stressful this situation can be, it is important to remain as calm as possible when your tooth is knocked out. Panicking may make it more difficult to think clearly. Before you jump into action, take a few deep breaths, and allow yourself to move into action in a calm manner.
2. Retrieve the Lost Tooth
If your tooth is knocked out of your mouth and onto the ground, try to find it as quickly as possible. When you do find your knocked-out tooth, handle it with care. Teeth are incredibly delicate, and handling them improperly can damage any remaining tissue. Pick it up by the crown (the part of your tooth that you chew with) and avoid touching the roots as much as possible.
3. Rinse the Tooth
When your tooth is knocked out, there is a chance that it will get dirty. If this occurs, rinse the tooth with a saline solution or milk. While rinsing it in milk might seem odd, the liquid has sugars that your tooth’s cells need to survive the accident. It also has antibacterial agents and proteins to maintain the right acid balance. Avoid scrubbing the tooth, as this may remove any remaining tissue that is essential for ensuring reinsertion.
4. Reinsert the Tooth
While this might not be possible when your tooth is knocked out, it is important to attempt to reinsert your knocked-out tooth in its socket. Align your tooth with the socket and apply gentle pressure, pushing it back into place. Once it is reinserted in the socket, hold it in position by biting down on a clean cloth or a piece of gauze.
5. Preserve the Tooth
If your tooth is knocked out and reinserting it in the socket isn’t possible, store the tooth in a safe place. You should store it in a container of milk or your saliva to ensure the tooth remains moist while you wait for your emergency dental appointment. Keeping your tooth moist while waiting for your dental appointment increases your chances of reimplanting the tooth successfully. However, it is important that you avoid using water, as it can damage your tooth’s cells.
6. Schedule Emergency Dental Care
When your tooth is knocked out, time is of the essence. The longer you go without reinserting the tooth, the less likely successful reimplantation will be. Contact your dentist immediately to schedule an emergency dental appointment or go to an emergency dental clinic. Provide this dental team with as much information as possible about the accident and follow their instructions closely. By doing this, you increase the chance of a successful reimplantation, so don’t withhold any information.
7. Control Bleeding
While you wait for an appointment with your trusted dental team, control any bleeding you may experience by applying gentle pressure to the affected area with a piece of clean gauze or cloth. By attempting to control bleeding, you can minimize your blood loss and alleviate any discomfort you may experience. You may also want to take an over-the-counter pain medication to help with the discomfort.
8. Follow Up with Your Dentist
After receiving your initial treatment, follow up with your dentist for further evaluation and care. They will assess the extent of the injury, perform any necessary follow-up treatments, and provide guidance on proper oral hygiene during the recovery process. They might even recommend getting a custom-fit mouthguard to protect your teeth if this tooth loss is a result of a sports injury.
Options If You Lose the Tooth
If your knocked-out tooth can’t be restored, several options can replace it. Dental implants offer a permanent solution by surgically placing an artificial tooth root into the jawbone, providing a stable foundation for a prosthetic tooth. Alternatively, bridges can bridge the gap by anchoring an artificial tooth to adjacent teeth. Removable partial or full dentures are also an options for replacing missing teeth, offering flexibility and affordability. Consulting with a dentist will help determine the most suitable option based on individual needs, ensuring a confident smile and restoring oral function.
Treatment for Your Knocked-Out Tooth and More
If your tooth is knocked out, it is essential that you work with a reliable dental team to preserve and protect your smile, like our team at Avenues Dentistry. With years of experience helping patients across the Salt Lake City area protect their smiles from minor and major injuries and dental ailments, we are confident that we can do the same for you.
From emergency dental treatments to dental cleanings, veneers, and much more, our team provides a variety of treatments to meet everyone’s needs perfectly. If you have recently knocked out a tooth and would like to schedule an appointment with our team, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today.